ESA brings public and private capital together to accelerate Europe’s space economy

Paris, 18 September 2026, Access to appropriate finance is becoming a strategic enabler of Europe’s space ambitions. At ESA Headquarters in Paris, investors, financial institutions, industry leaders, European institutions and policymakers.

At ESA Headquarters in Paris, investors, financial institutions, industry leaders, European institutions and policymakers, representing close to 200 participants, came together for the Investor Forum 2026 to explore how public demand and private capital can work together to. An increasing number of European space companies are attracting private investment, expanding industrial capabilities and entering international markets, demonstrating the potential to build globally competitive businesses.

By creating predictable demand, acting as an anchor customer and developing innovative financing structures, Europe can unlock significantly greater volumes of private capital for its space economy,” said Josef Aschbacher, ESA Director General. The EIB Space Lending Facility, supported by ESA and the European Commission, addresses structural barriers to debt financing for European space SMEs and mid-caps.

Its first agreement, signed with Intesa Sanpaolo in July 2026, combines €150 million in EIB funding with bank financing and is expected to enable approximately €300 million in financing across Italy’s space supply chain. ESA also presented its Space Debt Catalogue, developed through the Ventures and Financing Office, bringing together information on financial institutions and financing solutions available to European space companies and helping them prepare for engagement with potential.

These initiatives complement ESA’s wider work to connect companies with investors and financial institutions through the ESA Investor Network, while developing new approaches to blended finance, public-private partnerships and project finance. Alongside ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher, six ESA Directors and senior programme leaders contributed to the Forum, connecting investment perspectives with priorities across technology, transportation, Earth observation, connectivity and navigation, space safety.

By strengthening connections between companies, investors and financial institutions, we are helping create new opportunities for Europe’s space sector to scale, industrialise and compete internationally,” commented Gianluigi Baldesi, Head of ESA Ventures and Financing Office.

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